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What was the life of hitchhiking hippies like in the 1970s?
Hitchhiking was an incredibly popular mode of transportation, with an estimated 1 in 10 Americans having hitchhiked at the peak of the movement in the early 1970s.
Big Sur, California became a major hotspot for hitchhikers, with the scenic coastal highway attracting young travelers looking for rides north or south or to begin backcountry hiking trips.
The risks of hitchhiking were significant, especially for young female travelers, with concerns about potential serial killers preying on unsuspecting hitchhikers.
Hitchhikers developed their own unique culture, often recognizable by their long hair, beaded jewelry, and tie-dyed clothing as they sought freedom and adventure on the open road.
Many hitchhikers were U.S.
military members taking advantage of their leave time to explore the country, mixing with counterculture youth also hitting the highways.
The rise of the interstate highway system in the 1950s and 60s made hitchhiking easier, as longer, uninterrupted stretches of road allowed hitchhikers to more easily catch rides.
Hitchhikers would often travel in groups, both for safety and camaraderie, sharing supplies, stories, and the joy of the journey with like-minded wanderers.
The hitchhiking lifestyle was not without its challenges, with hitchhikers sometimes facing arrest, harassment, or having to sleep outdoors when they couldn't find a ride.
Some enterprising hitchhikers would carry signs with creative or humorous messages to try and entice drivers to pick them up, like "Will work for food" or "Going your way?"
The rise of personal automobiles in the post-war period enabled more young people to engage in hitchhiking, as cars became the dominant mode of transportation for many Americans.
Hitchhiking became closely associated with the counterculture and anti-establishment movements of the 1960s and 70s, symbolizing a rejection of mainstream society.
Law enforcement attitudes toward hitchhikers varied, with some areas cracking down on the practice while others turned a blind eye, leading to an unpredictable experience for hitchhikers.
Despite the risks, many hitchhikers forged deep bonds and lifelong friendships with the strangers who picked them up, sharing stories and experiences on the road.
The decline of hitchhiking in the late 1970s and 80s can be attributed to factors like increased car ownership, growing safety concerns, and the rise of cheap air travel making other options more appealing.
Some hitchhikers used their experiences on the road to inspire creative works, with books, films, and songs capturing the spirit of the hitchhiking lifestyle.
The phenomenon of hitchhiking hippies in the 1970s has become a romanticized aspect of that era, representing a time of youthful exploration, counterculture, and the pursuit of freedom on the open road.
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